Rick Rodgers

This colorful dish plays with the Basque sauté of red and green bell peppers. The Sherry wine vinegar gives the salad a delicious sweet-tangy edge.

Even if you're a fan of the traditional green bean casserole, you might want to consider subbing these simply prepared fresh beans, which can provide balance to all the rich items on the menu. Plus, this streamlined dish, which needs just a brief rewarming on top of the stove before serving, won't contribute to a last-minute traffic jam in the oven.

A moist, deeply flavored confection studded with rum-soaked raisins and crunchy pecans, this streamlined one-bowl cake will get compliments even for novice bakers. Plus, it keeps for days. To dress up each serving, why not use store-bought eggnog, which has the consistency of custard sauce.

This vibrant condiment takes its inspiration from the popular Cosmopolitan drink. The alcohol heightens the sauce's flavor, but for kids and nondrinkers, the recipe can easily be made nonalcoholic by substituting orange juice for the water and deleting the vodka and liqueur.

Here's a sweet potato casserole that will please everyone in the family, but isn't sticky or cloying. If your guests insist on a traditional marshmallow topping (let's admit that kids love it, and for some adults, it just isn't Thanksgiving without it), see the variation below.